Two bookies held in Ludhiana

Two bookies were arrested while one managed to flee here on late Sunday for accepting bets on Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. Cash worth Rs 11,000 besides 9 mobile phones, Television set, extension box and set-up box were recovered from their possession. The racket is said to have connection with bookies in Delhi.

The police said diaries consisting some phone numbers and names in code language were also found from their possession. The accused were operation the betting racket from Surya Hotel near clock tower chowk here.

The arrested accused have been identified as Arun Kumar Tangri of Chander Nagar and Rajinder Kumar alias Vicky of Manohar Nagar and their accomplice Vipan Sachdeva alias Goldy, who managed to escape. Arun Kumar Tangri is nephew of local Shiv Sena Leader Jagdish Tangri.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), crime of Ludhiana Dhruman Nimbale said the accused used to accepted bets on cricket matches and passed on information to a top-level bookie in Delhi, who has been yet to be identified.

The police also arrested hotel manager Jaswal Rawat for helping the accused. The accused used to avail room in the hotel before important matches and used to accept bets from people on phones. The hotel staff neither objected the accused who are local residents from availing room in the hotel frequently, nor informed the police about it.

According to the hotel's register the accused had availed room in the hotel for more than 22 times, since the tournament had kicked-off.